After air, water, food and clothes, a place to live ranks at the top of people’s most essential needs. Although simply defined as a shelter – a place of comfort and safety – a home is more than that. It is where we expect to find affection and one of the ways we express our identity.
Along with being their most valuable material possession, a homeowner may view their home as an extension of their personality. It is one of the ways they communicate their social status and functions as a showcase of the most important things to them. Home is a big part of a person’s identity.
That is why, according to CFL Property Management in St. Cloud, many people have an emotional attachment to their house. In the same way, they see themselves as unique individuals and want their homes to be special too. Consequently, they may look for ways to make their property stand out from other houses in the area.
This desire is why some home buyers prefer a custom home. Unlike when you buy a resale or spec home, a custom home offers you the chance to own a home that is the only one of its kind. Instead of inheriting someone else’s design for their home, you get to create yours.
But the problem is most people who want a custom home don’t know anything about building one. This lack of knowledge is why many custom home projects are unfinished. The owner’s poor preparation turns what should be a satisfying home-buying experience into a dreadful nightmare.
If you are thinking of buying a new home and want that house to be a custom home, we can help you avoid this mistake. In this post, we will explain things you should know before attempting to build a custom home. You will save yourself a lot of money, time and stress if you follow these tips.
6 things to know when building a custom home
The main reason custom-home projects often fail is that project owners do not know the proper sequence for building a custom home. Following the wrong steps when building a custom home can result in wrong choices that get harder to fix as the project progresses.
Project owners may let their excitement get the better of them; they make commitments early on that later limit their choices. These mistakes not only prevent the project from being delivered on time and within cost, but they can also make it hard to meet the owner’s specifications for their home.
Before you start building your custom home, do these:
1. Find a competent builder
This single step, if done early, will help you to get the most value for your money. Most project owners treat their builder as a rubber stamp; someone to simply execute their home design. But the builder should act as a guide to lead you through this uncharted territory. When hiring a builder, make sure they are local and have built homes that are similar to yours.
2. Determine how much you want to spend
If you hire a designer without providing them with a budget, they may end up with a design that exceeds your financial ability. Having a budget gives you a reference point when making difficult decisions. A budget will impose objectivity; because your limited means will force you to prioritize essential features of the design.
3. Find a suitable lot
While buying the land for your home is a critical first step toward building the house, you can take this step too early. That is because the land you buy naturally places limitations on the kind of house you can build. Before you select your lot, talk with your builder to make sure that land can accommodate the home you have in mind.
4. Design the house
You should only start designing your house after you have bought the land and determined your budget. Ensure you provide the designer with a list of your needs and wants, ordered by their
The main reason custom-home projects often fail is that project owners do not know the proper sequence for building a custom home. Following the wrong steps when building a custom home can result in wrong choices that get harder to fix as the project progresses.
Project owners may let their excitement get the better of them; they make commitments early on that later limit their choices. These mistakes not only prevent the project from being delivered on time and within cost, but they can also make it hard to meet the owner’s specifications for their home.
Before you start building your custom home, do these:
1. Find a competent builder
This single step, if done early, will help you to get the most value for your money. Most project owners treat their builder as a rubber stamp; someone to simply execute their home design. But the builder should act as a guide to lead you through this uncharted territory. When hiring a builder, make sure they are local and have built homes that are similar to yours.
2. Determine how much you want to spend
If you hire a designer without providing them with a budget, they may end up with a design that exceeds your financial ability. Having a budget gives you a reference point when making difficult decisions. A budget will impose objectivity; because your limited means will force you to prioritize essential features of the design.
3. Find a suitable lot
While buying the land for your home is a critical first step toward building the house, you can take this step too early. That is because the land you buy naturally places limitations on the kind of house you can build. Before you select your lot, talk with your builder to make sure that land can accommodate the home you have in mind.
4. Design the house
You should only start designing your house after you have bought the land and determined your budget. Ensure you provide the designer with a list of your needs and wants, ordered by their
importance. When designing your home, think of where your life will be in ten years and about the possibility of selling that house in future.
1. Be meticulous in your design
The quality of the final product and the actual cost of building the house depend on the level of work you put into the details. You want to think of every detail of the home; the color, material and quality of every item. This will not only make it easier to cost your project, but you can define what you want.
2. Think of financing
Getting financing for a custom home can be hard because these projects do not qualify for a conventional home mortgage. Although they are costlier, you can finance the project using a home construction loan and convert it to a regular mortgage after the project is completed. A hard money loan is another option.
The only way to build a custom home that is everything you dreamed of is to plan and prepare adequately. The preparation phase is the most significant part of your project because it lays the groundwork for what will happen during the actual build. Give adequate attention to these steps.
